Global Efforts Needed to Tackle Oil Spill in Mauritius

A man scooping oil off the coast of Mauritius following a spill in late July.

The island nation of Mauritius is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Like most tropical islands, it has been home to a rich variety of wildlife; much of it being found nowhere else in the world. However, it has also been subjected to anthropogenic pressure dating back to the 17th century when it lost one of its most iconic inhabitants, the dodo, to extinction. But now, there has been another threat of a greater magnitude that has recently devastated the island's natural beauty: an oil spill caused by a Japanese cargo ship called the Wakashio after it struck a reef off the island's coast. More than 1,000 metric tons of oil spilled into the island's pristine waters. The incident has led Mauritius to declare a state of emergency, and the French government has sent technical support to help with the disaster response. In addition to that, independently-organized local volunteers have been working to clean up the spill and protect the beaches with makeshift materials. However, the government has warned that the crack inside the ship's hull has been growing and that could break it in half releasing all the remaining oil into the waters. The company that owns the ship stated that efforts are in motion to pump some 1,800 metric tons of remaining oil out of it before it splits apart. Although the local people sprung into action to clean up the spill, majority of them were angry that the government did not take action sooner to prevent the unfolding disaster.

A large patch of oil near the Pointe d'Esny.

Although I very much admire the attitude of the people of Mauritius with regard to the oil spill and acting upon it, I'm also concerned about the state of the situation. This is because there is still excess oil in the vessel, which could split apart anytime and that would make the situation much worse for the locals to tackle by themselves. Even though the company which owns the ship stated that efforts are underway to pump the remaining oil out, I strongly feel that global efforts are needed to speed up the recovery process. That is, volunteers from other countries should go to Mauritius and help the locals clean up the spill with highly advanced tools rather than makeshift ones. They should also help pump the remaining metric tons of oil out of the ship safely and efficiently without further spillage into the country's pristine waters. I also urge the government of Mauritius to be very proactive in dealing with these kinds of environmental issues. Not only do they devastate the native environment and wildlife, but also the country's economy, food security, and health.

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